By Andrea Holwegner, Nutrition Expert & Professional Speaker

Welcome to the May edition of my new e-newsletter "Bite Me," which you can think of like an A-bomb that will... astonish, agitate, activate & advance you!

Each month I will send you a short reflection to shift your thinking and spark your motivation for wellness change. My message is not only about food, but about LIFE and achieving better balance, energy and health. Enjoy!

Kick the Clock, Eat on YOUR Time

Chances are you have heard many conflicting messages about how often you should eat. Here are some of the comments that I have heard from clients or various books and articles:

         "Make sure you eat every 2 hours"
         "Snacking will spoil your supper"
         "Eat three square meals and avoid snacking"
         "Don't eat past 7pm"
         "Make breakfast bigger than your supper"
         "Eat 6 times per day"

The truth is all of these are correct and incorrect at the same time. Do we really all have the same hunger patterns? Could someone that doesn't know you, really be an expert on your hunger cues? I don't believe so. Rather than eating by the clock or on someone else's schedule, choose to eat on YOUR time. Follow your own unique hunger pattern.

I have met clients that eat three meals per day and if they attempted to add snacks, they would have difficulty shrinking down the size of their meals. The end result might be weight gain since they will likely continue to eat full-sized meals and also add snacks when they are not hungry.

On the other hand I have some clients that eat only three meals a day and despite being hungry in between meals, choose to ignore hunger cues because they are busy or are trying to lose weight. By the time they get to a meal they feel out of control and overeat. The end result is weight gain and poor energy.

Last year I traveled to Argentina with my husband and was intrigued by the fact that restaurants don't even open for supper until after 8 or 9pm yet there are many people managing a healthy weight eating this late every day. I guess that tosses out the rule that you shouldn't eat past 7pm!

To figure out your body's hunger cues, eat breakfast within about an hour or so of waking. Breakfast is the one meal that even if you are not hungry you need to eat since it sets the stage for the whole day. If you plan your meals with adequate carbohydrates and protein you will find you get hungry every 3-5 hours. This means you might eat 3 times, 4 times, 5 times or 6 times per day. The more frequent you eat the smaller the meals. The choice is yours. Eat on YOUR time.

Your Comments Are Welcome!

Do you have a comment about this article? Did something strike a chord with you? What are you now thinking about or doing differently? I would love to hear from you. Email me at info@chocoholicdietitian.com. Thanks!

Upcoming Public Events

Join me at these 2 upcoming public events:

Canadian Diabetes Association - Calgary Public Expo
Saturday June 7, 2008
Andrea is kicking off the expo with her keynote "Bite-sized Changes for Supersized Results." If you are looking for information on diabetes don't miss this event! For more information click here or visit www.diabetes.ca/expos/expo-calgary.asp

Energize! A fundraiser in support of safe drinking water world wide
Saturday June 14, 2008
An afternoon to quench your thirst for life with Andrea Holwegner "The Chocoholic Dietitian" & Michelle Cederberg (Life Balance Strategist & Fitness Motivation Expert). For more information click here.

Other Articles

Check out my April article for CBC News Online:
· Canadian Eating Habits: 5 Shortfalls & Solutions

Check out the Health Stand Nutrition Consulting May e-newsletter article:
· Nutrition for Travel

Looking for a Conference Caffeinator?

Whether you're planning a conference keynote, breakout session, corporate event or retreat, Andrea's message creates a buzz that's better than caffeine.

Combining lessons learned from counseling hundreds of clients and insights as the Chocoholic Dietitian, Andrea will show you the recipe for success is learning how to enjoy guilt-free eating and balance ALL foods! Even Chocolate!

In our fast-paced world, healthy eating is becoming harder to achieve. Andrea helps you learn about nutrition at the speed of life! Nourish yourself and your team with bite-sized changes for supersized results.

You can count on her boundless energy, credible expertise & ability to entertain.

For more information contact us by phone at (403) 262-3466 or email:
info@chocoholicdietitian.com.

Brought to you by:

Andrea Holwegner BSc, RD, The Chocoholic Dietitian
Nutrition Expert, Professional Speaker

Look & feel your best everyday!
Website: www.chocoholicdietitian.com
Phone: (403) 262-3466

Conference Keynotes | Workplace Wellness Sessions | Retreats | Coaching